Long Branch Looking to Bring Back Commercial Garbage Pickup for Businesses

Long Branch officials are asking for the city to bring back commercial garbage pickup after seeing that current system of using centralized garbage containment areas is no longer working.

Long Branch Business Administrator Howard Woolley said during Tuesday night's council meeting that the city switched to the containment areas 6 to 8 years ago after using commercial pickup in prior years.

"They sounded great, and they worked for a while," Woolley said. "Now, other people are bringing refuse to these areas, not the business owners."

Long Branch Department of Public Works (DPW) Fred Migliaccio agreed and said the garbage collection areas were "a great idea," but that they are no longer doing the job.

Migliaccio said garbage containment areas are now filled with construction materials including wood and carpeting that is not being dumped by the local business owners for which they were designed. He said there have even been special officers assigned to watching these areas and that there is a DPW employee whose only job is to maintain these areas.

"We have tried to enforce it, but no matter what we do, we can't keep up with it," Woolley said.

Migliaccio said there are five garbage containment areas throughout the city and that the worst ones are behind Freddies and on Montgomery Avenue behind businesses such as Ciao and Mix Lounge.

Woolley said that going back to commercial garbage pickup sounds like the city's best option to keep these areas clean.

"While the cans are unattractive, the pickup areas are worse," Woolley said.

Business owners would be able to use two to three cans and would place them behind their building.

City Attorney James Aaron asked if the cans would again become a dumping ground for people, and if anything would change by going back to commercial pickup.

Migliaccio said it is the businesses responsibility to maintain the cans and that is easier for the city to see who is keeping their areas clean. Woolley added that the people who are using the garbage containment areas for dumping are doing so because they are dumpsters large enough for their materials.

Migliaccio said there will be meetings with different businesses and that they will be notified of the change.

City Code Enforcement Officer Kevin Hayes said the city would not need to change any of its ordinances to make the change back to commercial pickup.